The Lancer

The Lancer

The Lancer

New MegaMind TV and Movie Sequel Release
New MegaMind TV and Movie Sequel Release
Joseph Goodnight, Opinion Editor • February 20, 2024

In March of this year, Dreamworks is set to release a Peacock exclusive TV show and movie sequel to the beloved 2010 MegaMind movie. The trailer...

In Fastbreak Fashion
Jake Bradley, Sports Editor • February 14, 2024

Lancers lead the way in the second half. The Great Oak Wolfpack came into Thousand Oaks Tuesday night for the CIF quarterfinals and with them...

Perserving in Penalty’s
Jake Bradley, Sports Editor • February 14, 2024

The Lady Lancers traveled to a neutral site in Anaheim to take on the Katella Knights in the second round of the CIF-SS girls soccer playoffs....

Kanye - He's Back at it...or Maybe Not?
Elijah Brown, The Lancer Staff • February 14, 2024

Kanye West's new album “Vultures 1”, many nationwide were skeptical at first about Kanye's new album considering the controversies he has...

It’s Valentine’s, Baby
It’s Valentine’s, Baby
Momo Sonoda, Editor-In-Chief • February 14, 2024

St. Valentine’s Day commemorates the death of St. Valentine, but for others, the holiday marks a day of birth. Junior Chokee Weezer was born...

Health Science Majors Program hosts their senior showcase
Momo Sonoda, Editor-In-Chief • February 12, 2024

Last week, the seniors in Health Science Majors hosted a showcase, featuring various professions that they hope to pursue in the future. At the...

Advancing Again
Jake Bradley, Sports Editor • February 12, 2024

The Lancers left campus during lunch to travel to Temecula for their round two playoff game, and the ride wasn’t enough to stop the Lancers....

Double-Double Galore
Jake Bradley, Sports Editor • February 12, 2024

The Lancers once again came out of a playoff game as a victor, behind a powerful Trent Maclean performance nonetheless. Maclean powered his way...

Avid Attack
Jake Bradley, Sports Editor • February 9, 2024

A massive performance from standout freshman led the way for the Lancers at Ventura College, freshman Maddie Linville started the game off strong...

Advancing at last!
Jake Bradley, Sports Editor • February 8, 2024

Fast start, with no slowing down, your Lancers took down the Chaffey Tigers 3-1. A very early goal from junior attacker Gabriel Torreblanca gave...

Elias Chin ready to take a shot
Onto the Next
Jake Bradley, Sports Editor • February 8, 2024

Advancing at last!  Despite a close score after each of the first two quarters, stars Elias Chin and Trent Maclean were able to help the Lancers...

Valentines Day grams for your special someone -- or not
Valentine's Day grams for your special someone -- or not
Gabriella Muller, The Lancer Staff • February 8, 2024

With Valentine's day approaching quickly, the student store is crowded with students buying Valentine's Grams for people they know -- and those...

Sephora Takeover
Sephora Takeover
Gabriella Muller, The Lancer Staff • February 8, 2024

With the rise of popular skincare brands coming from Tiktok, Sephora is seeing a rise in sales but a massive drop in age. “10-13 year old kids...

Point Counterpoint: The Super Debate
Point Counterpoint: The Super Debate
Kevin Starr and Christian-Isaiah AguilarFebruary 8, 2024

Two The Lancer columnists -- Kevin Starr and Christian-Isaiah Aguilar -- have strong opinions about the upcoming Super Bowl. Here, they square...

on the bottom is real animal based leather, while on the top is “vegan” leather, or “pleather”
Vegan Leather is Worse for the Environment than Real Leather
Joseph Goodnight, Opinion Editor • February 8, 2024

Throughout the the past 20 years the interest in sustainability and ethicality has risen immensely, especially in regards to fashion, as the...

What Makes You Country?

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A new song is emerging at the top of music platforms, and it’s rise has been fueled by controversy. “Old Town Road” a single released by Lil Nas X grew in popularity as it arrived on three of Billboard’s charts: the Hot 100, Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs and Hot Country Songs. The music video for the song has over 46 million views on YouTube, and the song also reached Spotify’s Today’s Top Hits playlist.

Old town road is the first country song to reach the number one spot on the Billboard Hot 100 since 2012, when Taylor Swift’s “We Are Never Ever Getting Back Together” held the number one spot. “We Are Never Ever Getting Back together” is also a country song that is questionably country.

Lil Nas X, a 20 year old Atlanta native described the song as “country trap.” However, Billboard quickly removed “Old Town Road” from the Hot Country playlist, disagreeing with the singer’s statement that the song is part of the country genre. Nevertheless, the song still remained popular and Lil Nas X signed a record deal with Columbia Records.

On Apr. 5, Lil Nas X released a remix of the song that features the famous country star Billy Ray Cyrus. The remix, just like the original song, abounded in success and held the number one spot on the Spotify Today’s Top Hits playlist.

Soon after “Old Town Road” was booted (no pun intended) off the country chart, people began to question Billboard’s decision to determine the song’s genre. Music lovers and critics alike began to wonder: “What really makes a song country?”

The Lancer interviewed both country haters and fans on TOHS campus to discover what the student body thinks of the song.

“It is not a country song. It is an alternative or pop song with country lyrics,” junior country fan Ashlyn Holt said. “It’s a bop. It’s got a catchy beat. The fact that it’s short makes it better because you’re not listening to it for so long that you get tired of it.”

“Old Town Road” has many country elements in the song, but also has many elements that are not commonly found in the genre.

“Does it sound like country? It’s country themed but it doesn’t sound like it’s a country song,” Lauritzen said.

The hit has a hip hop back track with a heavy bass, and the choruses of the song are sung, while the verses are raped. Rap is a music element that is rarely to never seen in country music. However, famous country singer songwriter Sam Hunt, used elements of rap in his award winning album “Montevallo.” His slow country-rap in the hit songs “Take Your Time” and “Break Up In A Small Town” made the songs unique and rise to the top of the country charts.

So does the rap and heavy bass  in “Old Town Road” automatically make the song not country? Or is rap part of a new era of country music?

“He created a new genre for music called ‘trap country’ and I think it’s pretty sick,” senior country fan Trinity Magruder said.

The lyrics to “Old Town Road,” however are undoubtedly country. The verses have references to traditional subjects of country music, like horses, cowboy hats, tractors and Wrangler jeans.

“Yes [it is a country song.] It’s sort of got that kind of vibe to it, so when you listen to it, it just sounds like a country song, more than it does sound like a rap song,” sophomore country music hater Brian Spinelli said.

Luke Bryan, one of the most prominent country stars in the industry, released a song titled “What Makes You Country.” The chorus of the song states the lyrics “I can’t judge, Just be proud of what makes you country.” Some critics praise “Old Town Road” and call it a full fledged country song. Others criticize it, calling it fake country, while others refer to Lil Nas X as a founder of a new genre. It’s up to you to form your own opinion on “Old Town Road.”

 

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What Makes You Country?